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Then again, it was only November 2 Give it time to heal, Nadia reminded herself

Verlaine stopped short, her Converse sneakers kicking up dust on the path "There My parents are over there"

She pointed at a still-s toraves Nadia helped lead her toward the care not to step on any place where a dead person ht lie From some people that would only have been superstition; fron of respect

Finally they were at the foot of the graves, looking at an epitaph that read: Richard and Maisie Laughton, beloved children, loving parents

Gone from us too soon

"They don’t have any flowers" Verlaine’s voice was s them when I was little, but it always made Uncle Dave cry He was close tohere hurt hi But now they haven’t had flowers for years and years"

"It’s okay," Mateo said "They know you still love theic exists, and witches exist, and also crazy-ass sorceresses who sit near you in che about heaven, last I checked" Verlaine wiped at her face, though she wasn’t crying; it was as though she was trying to focus herself, Nadia thought "Or is that in your Book of Shadows, Nadia? Proof that there’s an afterlife?"

"Nope That’s as mysterious to you as it is to me" Nadia decided the best way to comfort Verlaine at this point was to stay focused on the task at hand "Verlaine, I want you to go stand between the two graves"

The effect was i soravestone? Or does it ht be soood" She glanced over her shoulder "Getting a little distance is a good idea for you, too, Mateo"

He smiled at her, and it was one of those ain--how souy had co to shut everyone out Mateo had beaten down the doors Burned the fences Picked the lock on the gate "Distance," he said "Got it You don’t need a Steadfast for this?"

"I always need my Steadfast," Nadia said softly "But you’ll be h"

Verlaine positioned herself between her parents’ graves, a strange look on her face as she gazed down at the place where her e look was less polished today, but she’d put on acid-washed jeans and a poufy white sweater for an eighties vibe All Nadia could think was how pale and thin she looked Like a ghost araves "Here?"

"That works" Nadia lifted her hand and took hold of her wrist--specifically, the quartz charled from her bracelet The bracelet wasn’t just a piece of jewelry; it was her way of keeping the primal elements she needed for her witchcraft close at every ic They only grounded Nadia, ic, she needed the spell

For revealing o: